Machine for threshing and cleaning clover-seed



UNirED sTATEs PATENT' carica.

'VILLIAM ROVE, OF FREDERICK, MARYLAND. i

. MACHINE FOR THRESILIING AND CLEANING CLOVER-SEED.;'

Specification of Letters Patent No. 89B, dated August 245, 18.38.

T all 'whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM RowE, of the city of Frederick, in the county of Frederick andV State of -Maryland, have invented a new and useful Machine forV Separating Glover-Seed `from the Hulls and Cleaning the Seed, which isdescribed as follows, reference being had to the annexed drawings of the same, making part of this specification.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of the machine.A Fig. 2 are elevations taken from `the front. Fig. 3 transverse section of the threshing chambers through the line `,of the inside box F, the cylinders being removed. Fig. 4 transverse sections through .the screen, fan &c. Fig. l5 end elevation with a part of the boarding removed to show the threshing cylinder. Fig. 6` end elevation opposite the thresher showing theend of the screen and i `fan and the mode of vibrating the sieve.

Figs. 7 and 12 show the threshing cylinder will be described in their appropriate places.

The same letters indicate similar parts in all the figures in which they are represented.

The distinguishing feature of this machine consists in a very simplecombination and arrangement of an apparatus for threshing out the seed from the hulls-a circular revolving screen into which the seed and chaf'tl are delivered forseparating the one from Vthe other-a lrevolving fan for cleaning the .seed-vibrating screen placed below the revolving screen for more perfectly cleaning the seed and an endless movable apron or conveyer for conveying the seed top-any place desired-all contained in a frame having an inclination-,backward for throwing theseed and chaff from-the front to the rear of the machine-the several operations before'` lmentioned being performed at the same timel by the same moving power.

The frame A Figs. 1, 2,3, 4, 5, 6, to contain. and support the several parts-of the machine may be made of a rectangular iigure, of suitable size and strength to contain and supportfthe several parts of the machine before mentioned; but itmay be varied in size, strength, and materials to suit the views of the constructor; it must however have an inclination from front to rear to cause the revolving screen to discharge the chaff at the lower end of it-which inclination may either be produced by makingthe sills thicker at one end than at the otheror by puttingA a block of wood under the sills at one end so as to raise it at that end. f

The concave B, Figs. 3, and 5, inwhich ing out the seed from the hulls is constructed at the elevated or feeding end .of the machine. p '1 L p The end ofthe main frame justmentioned seed and chaff are conducted tothe revolving screen, and for the movement of the conextended lengthwisebeyond theffend of the frame a suiiici'entdistance` to receive and supv port the concave and hopper. Across: the

3, 5 for supporting the concave,f&c.

l The lower part of the concaveconsists of blocks of woodB, B Figs. Bland 5 concave a little .greater 'than the curve ofthe revolving cylinder turning therein and fiat on the lower sldes resting on' the crosspieceand extended on one side by` means of a vertical raised on the other-sillin-a similar manner;

iF, in whichthe aXle of the cylinder turns are secured to theiedges of the two 'last men- `ithe escape `of the seed,`&c'., the side ofsaid lcap'being cut away at one corner and covered with a piece of strongleather swelling 1 piece of leather is also.` cutout as represented l in section at w Fig. 11 order `to forman 1 open space for the admission of the hulls to the threshing cylinder revolves for thresh-` is boarded upc'lose by'bQards C Fig,`3, err-z` cept at certain --places hereafter mentioned where openings areleftthrough which the Y veyer in discharging the seed.` The sills `are y vertical on the other sides'. The `concaveis tionedupright pieces about one third their or covering G of the' cylinder for preventing` machine from one sill to fthe other and on top of the projecting ends'just `mentioned is` framed a strong piece of'timber tb F igs.` 1 2,

on the-upper side; the" curve of which: being piece of timber D, raised on the projecting l end of one of the sills andsecured" to the y main frame.' Another piece of-tjirnber E, is"

Two cross bars 'v o for-supporting the boxes @outward and forming a hopper for feeding ithe` machinethe topf of the cap near this the hopper. On' the inside of the capis fas- Y ,tened a block of wood H Figs. 8 and 14C' p piece of leather K Figs. 3 and 16 forming Van apron for directing the seed and chaff fromthe threshing machine to the lower part of the revolving screen and thus preventing theY seed, cc., being thrown out at the lower end of screen before being separated'. 'y l The space s Fig. 5 between the concave and cylinder isk about 'or 1 inch. Y Y

In the concave are placed strips of leather L, Fig. 3 and Section 15, which gives an inside view of part of the concave, apron 10 and chute S, either obliquely, or at right angles, to act as stops against which the Y hulls are arrested and threshed by the cylinder, `and revolved or turned over and repeatedly threshed until Ythe seed is come pletely separated from the hulls.

At the commencement of the concave is fastened a strip of leather orsteel M Figs. 3 and 15 for preventing stones, nails,'and other hard substances entering` between the cylin- 'der and concave and is inclined in` such a manner as to direct them out 'of the machine through an inclined chute S Figs. 1, 3, and 13 and 15. VAt theV side of the hopper is secured a piece of leather N (Fig. 3,) in an inclined position for preventing hard substances passing between the side of the cylinder and the frame. At the bottom'l of the hopper and over the entrance to the concave is fastened an inclined spring apron O for directing the hulls against the cylinder and into the concave and at the same time yielding when hard substances enter the hopper with they hulls allowing them to escape at the inclined chute S before mentioned without injuring the machine. Strips ofleather P, may Valso be nailedto the boards forming the Asides of the concave. Y

The cylinder Qv Figs. 5 and 7 ,12, 2 revolving in the before described concave may be about 32 inches diameter and 1 foot in length, covered on .the outer surface wlth perforated or punched sheet iron or other rough substances except about 22'inches diameter of the center which isnot covered and may be of sufcient weight to act as a fly wheel-revolving about 1000 revolutions per minute. The axle extends beyond the end of the machine to receive grooved or other pulleys R, R, R, for bands leading vfrom the driving power and to other pulleys for revolving the fan and conveyer.

The circular revolving screen T for separating the seedl from the chad 1s made of ing across the diameter ofthe cylinder and in boxes supported in hanging pieces of the mam frame, or 1n `horizontal cross girts.

.There is no axle passing through the center as generally used in screens of this construction. VOne of the crosspiecesY containing'the gudgeon at the lower end is fastened on the outside of the outer ring-theother' cross piece in the upper end is fastened on the inside of the 'ring at the upper end of the screen and its gudge'onis generally made to turn in a box fixed in the frame,'but the box fixed in the hanging v.piece isV preferred. The screen is turned by ai band r Figs. 1, 2, 4L, passing around it'near the center crossed and extended to and around the shaft of the revolving fan hereafter described. Both ends of the screen are Vopen the upper one is Yplaced opposite the opening J in the end boarding of the frame through which the seed and Ychaff pass from4 the threshing cylinderz-the lower end extends through the boxes on the top of the frame ya little to the 4right of therevolvin'g screens near the front side of the machine and projects so as to re- Y ceive a` pulley YUf for a band leading to a pulley on theend of a short shaftrV Fig. 1, -on which there is another pulley W around which` passes a band leadingfto a pulley R, on the threshing cylinder shaft. There are two fans X, X, on the same shaft and both are coveredl with semi-circular covers fastened to the top ofthe frame. On the other end of this shaftisfa crank Y from which extendsa pitman rod VZ,leading down to a double crank shaft a, of theordinary construction for shaking the vibrating screen b, I

Figs. land 4hereafter mentioned. The vi. brating screen is made in theordinary manner and is'suspended at one'end by a strap and spring and at the other end by a rod ex? tending vhorizontally to the double crank. Belowthe screen and fastened t-o its frame is placed'a plain board of the same size for catching the seedand delivering it Von the conveyer. A plainboard or table may be substituted for said screen to receive the seed from the revolving screen and deliver the same on to the endless apron'or lconveyer.

The endless apron or conveyer al, is placed at the rear of the; screen near the bottom of vthe frame and passes around two rollers-u the axle of one of which having a grooved pulley e on itaround which passes aV band leading-to another pulley on the short shaftV Y before mentioned which'is turned Yby a band extending from a pulley on the shaft of the threshing cylinder, Fig. 2.

In the rear of the revolving screen is a curved board f, placed angularly also an inclined board g, for preventing the escape of the seed at the side of the machine and for directing it on to the vibrating table below. There is an inclined slide it below the curved piece just described also for preventing the escape of the seed. Another inclined board t' Fig. 4 is placed behind the screen for the like purpose just mentioned and another above the screen for the same purpose and which also forms part of the circle of the fan, leaving a space K between the two last mentioned for the air from the fan to pass to the revolving screen.

The machine at Z is boarded up in front so as to form an air chamber m Fig. 4 under the fan and in front of the revolving screen, into which chamber the air is constantly forced by the revolving fan until it becomes compressed and by its elasticity and the motion of the fan is driven in a strong current through the several openings of the machine but particularly through the lower end of the circular screen fordriving the chaff outeof the machine. 4

A' door (n, is made in the front of the machine in order to gain access tothe inside of it. 1

The air is admitted to the fans through the openings in the ends of the covers or caps in the usual mode.

The endless apron or conveyer moves in a boxor trough p composed of three boards one forming the bottom and the other two Operation: The clover heads being threshed from the straw the machine is put in motion by animal or other power by means of a band leading from the horsepower to the pulley on the shaft of the threshing cylinder-the `hulls or heads are put into the sides.

the hopper and descend between the concave and cylinder where the seed is separated from the hulls and all is thrown by the mo-` tion of the cylinder against the curved chute or spout which conducts it into the revolving screen where the seed is separated from the chaff-the former falling through the meshes of the revolving screen on to the-inclined vibratingtable and the chaff being driven out at the lower end of the` screen-.the smaller particles of chaff, &c., which pass through the screen with the seedare driven out of the machineat the rear side thereof` and the seed is then delivered upon the revolving apron or conveyer which conveys it to any place desired. Y Y

The invention claimed anddesired'to be secured by Letters Patent consists.:-

l. In the combinationand arrangement of i the cylinder and concave with the revolving Jscreen, revolving fans,'vibrating table, and

endless conveyer for threshing and cleanin clover seed 1n the manner before `descrlbe 2. The arrangement of the spring apron for directing the seed and hulls between the concave and cylinder and at the same time yielding when stones, nails, and other'hard y substances enter so' as to allow them toescape through the inclined chute constructed in front of the `concave as before described.

3. The arrangement of said chute as before described.

4. In boxing up the frame so as to form"V a space below the fan and screen for the re-,

ception of a large quantity of air for the purpose and in the manner above described.

5. The curved spout or chute for throwing 

